A Symphony of the Senses
by Denise Craig
Summary: Story 4 in Lovely Days, Lovely Nights. Heyes has a problem, a big one, and only a few hours to solve it.


**A Symphony of the Senses**

**By Miss Kitty and Denise Craig**

"Do you think he did it?"

"I don't know. He's very convincing."

"What about the daughter?"

"Her alibi won't hold up in court."

Heyes, Jennifer and Kid were walking down the boardwalk after having supper at the hotel. Heyes and Kid were discussing the case they were working on and Jennifer had drifted a few steps behind the men, her mind intent on a melody she had stuck in her head.

They passed the saloon where a very tinny piano could be heard over the din. Suddenly Jennifer had it. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked around her. She needed a piano, NOW!

Kid stopped suddenly, making Heyes turn around and look at him. "What's wrong?" He looked about him, "Where's Jennifer?"

"I don't know; she was here a minute ago." Kid looked along the boardwalk and just saw her retreating figure walk boldly through the batwing doors of the saloon. He groaned. Not again! He hated when she did that. He had tried to impress upon her the importance of letting him know when she was going to do that, especially if she intended to disappear into a saloon or other venue not completely suitable for a woman on her own. However, in the heat of the moment, she always forgot.

Kid did not mean to be overbearing or overprotective. The fact of the matter was, when Jennifer disappeared, his mind immediately went to, 'something has gone wrong!' He couldn't help it. It was ingrained in him. Habit.

Jennifer entered and looked around. The piano and its player were up against the side wall. She pushed her way past smiling familiar faces and a few startled strangers, up to the piano. "Charlie, do you mind if I borrow your piano? I have an idea and I need to get it down before it leaves me."

Charlie just smiled and gladly gave up the bench to Jennifer. This wasn't the first time this had happened and he had learned that it was to his advantage to let her have his seat. The music she coaxed forth from the harsh instrument was heaven to his ears. The regulars too, stopped to listen. Truth be told, they enjoyed the impromptu concerts that sometimes happened.

The talking quieted, the poker stopped mid hand, the girls leaned up against the wall and smiled at the break.

Jennifer was oblivious to the effect she had on the customers. All she was thinking about was the music in her head and getting it down before it left.

Kid and Heyes had encountered this phenomenon when they had been protecting her out on tour. Kid had been reminded of a female Hannibal Heyes in her single minded-ness.

The partners walked up to the bar and ordered drinks as Jennifer coxed music from the ailing instrument.

"She needs a piano," was Heyes' obvious announcement.

"If they hadn't dropped hers, getting it off the train, she would have. You know, that was the first piano she ever owned. She was heartbroken over the damage. I don't think she has been able to reconcile herself to just ordering a new one. Somehow she thinks if she does, it's like betraying an old friend or something." Kid looked over at his partner and then a big grin spread across his face, lighting up his eyes.

"Don't you dare," said Joe, the bartender.

"Why not?" asked Kid.

"Because, then she wouldn't have a reason to use this one," the big man smiled.

--oooOOOooo--

Kid woke her gently with a kiss, "Wake up Sweetheart. I've brought you breakfast."

Jennifer opened her eyes to see Kid standing over her with a tray full of food.

"Not that I'm not grateful Jed…but what's all this for?"

"Happy 30th Birthday." Kid kissed her soundly. "Now eat up, I have a full day planned for us."

Jennifer groaned and pulled the covers back over her head. "I'll just skip today and stay 29 if you don't mind."

"Come on Sweetheart." He looked at the covers, still firmly placed over his wife's head. "I have a surprise for you," he said in a singsong voice.

This brought the covers down so her eyes were showing. "You do?"

"Uh huh, now come on out or I will just have to go to the falls without you."

"The falls! Oh Jed! I love the falls!" Jennifer was now sitting up in bed and beaming.

"I thought we would take a picnic lunch up to that little spot you like."

"Oh Honey, that sounds wonderful. It is the perfect weather for it."

Kid laughed at her change of attitude, "Well eat up then. Don't want you falling out of the carriage because of hunger."

Jennifer smiled at him. "Thank you." She had wanted to add, for making this horrible birthday…special, but didn't think he would understand.

--oooOOOooo--

Heyes and Kyle waited at the train station. Kyle had shown up at Heyes' door, produced the telegram that Heyes had sent him and said, "I'm here." Heyes had grinned and welcomed his ex-gang member, into his home.

Heyes had his plan timed perfectly, but trains, being inanimate objects, could care less about the best-laid plans, and this train was late. It was three hours late, or to be exact, two hours forty-seven minutes late.

Heyes paced back and forth along on the station boardwalk as Kyle amused himself chewing tobacco and looking at the ads plastered on the wall of the station. He couldn't read too well, but he could look at pictures, and he soon found himself falling for a dovelike gal with blushing cheeks, advertising Pear's Soap.

The whistle of an incoming train was heard in the distance. Heyes looked down the tracks and then at his pocket watch. He muttered and cursed to himself. Kyle chewed tobacco and pushed back his hat, a wide grin spread across his face.

"Whooee, here she comes, Heyes."

"I can see that Kyle," Heyes replied in a voice devoid of irritation. He figured no matter how bad things went; he could always rely on Kyle to back him up without question, a trait he fully admired. Whereas any other man stating the obvious would be annoying, you just couldn't be annoyed with Kyle.

The train chugged in front of the station and came to a stop, disgorging bedraggled, travel worn, passengers and the U.S. mail. Heyes approached the Pullman attendant, and stood expectantly.

The man ignored him.

"Ahem," Heyes cleared his throat.

No response.

"AHEM," repeated Heyes.

The man looked up from the packet of mail he held, and attempted to focus on Heyes through his reading spectacles.

"May I help you, sir?"

"I'm expecting a package."

"Package?" The man frowned, and stared down at the packet in his hands again. "This is the last of the mail, son, packages are all in the station office. You need to check there." The man turned on his heel, and walked into the station. Heyes followed the man and Kyle trailed, spitting tobacco juice.

"No this is a large package; you haven't unloaded it yet."

"He means that crate from back east, Norm, the really big one from Boston," the stationmaster whinnied from across the room. "The shipper is Hallet and Davis."

Heyes and Kyle nodded. Norm looked blank, and then hit his forehead. He dislodged his spectacles, and bent over to retrieve them. "Oh that thing," he said to the floor. "Sure is big. I didn't really think of it as a package, more of a…" Norm picked up the spectacles, placed them back in their proper position and scratched his head, "…well sort of like a large coffin, you might say."

Heyes laughed. "I know it's large, but it's not that large. It's a square grand, not a full grand. Should be, oh, about six feet wide and about three to four feet long."

Norm scratched his head again. "I think it's more likely to be about eight feet by eight feet, if you ask me."

Heyes chuckled and gave Norm a pat on his back as they walked out the station and down the tracks. "Six feet by four. I have it all worked out. This way Kyle and I can take the doors off their hinges and move it in. I know it looks real big…"

"Whatever you say," interrupted Norm. He paused in front of the last baggage car, and slid it open with much effort and grunting. He stood back.

Heyes tipped his hat back and looked into the car. It was huge. In fact the shipping crate took up the entire car. He pushed his hat down on his head, and then turned angrily towards Norm.

"That's not my package," he yelped.

"Your package from Hallet and Davis, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Your package a piano, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Your package a grand piano, right?"

"My package is a square grand piano. This is not my package."

Norm jumped into the baggage car, walked up to the package, picked up the invoice on top of it, and jumped out of the baggage car. He handed the invoice to Heyes.

Heyes deciphered the paper. The writing was shaky and difficult to read. He made out one square grand piano and the price he had paid for said piano. There was a note in the shaky hand at the bottom of the page. It read as follows: _'Mr. Hannibal Heyes, Hallet and Davis take great pride in producing the finest pianos made in America and are pleased and flattered that you chose our firm, long trusted by the public for excellence in manufacturing and sound quality. We strive for perfection and appreciate those that appreciate our efforts. We feel privileged that an exceptional artiste such as Miss Jennifer Landis, now Mrs. Jedediah Curry, _(this was so shaky he could barely make out the name), _would select our piano above all others. In appreciation of her selection, and your selection, and especially in the appreciation of Mr. Curry's selection _(especially shaky again), _we offer you the upgrade of our top concert grand at no additional cost. We feel satisfied that you will feel pleased with this concert grand, a work of art to the eyes as well as the ears. Sincerely…scribble, illegible, scribble._

Heyes tipped his hat back up. This piano was certainly better than the one he had ordered, and would do full justice to Jennifer's talents. The company was offering him an upgrade at no cost. If he did return it and insist on the smaller piano he had ordered, it would take weeks to arrive, and spoil Jennifer's birthday and Kid's plans. He looked at the invoice again. It wasn't his fault his name, and Kid's, frightened the writer. Heyes shook his head ruefully. Grandfather Curry may have been right when he said, 'Always look a gift horse in the mouth'. NEVERTHELESS, Hannibal Heyes had no intention of NOT leading this particular gift horse to its stable. He was certain, by the time they got this monster loaded on the freight wagon, drove over to the house, and had it unloaded he would figure out how to get it inside. He smiled. It was like stealing without the risks.

"OK fellas, it's the right piano alright. I'm gonna need some help here in loading and moving it. Let's get going," he ordered.

--oooOOOooo--

The four men paused to catch their breath. Heyes took out his pocket watch and read the time. He put his watch back and disgruntled, shook his head. It had taken another half an hour for the four of them, Heyes, Kyle, the stationmaster, and Norm, to unload the crate from the baggage car, and now they had it halfway on the wagon. Time was rapidly being lost.

"Alright, let's heave it on up." He used his most encouraging voice to rally 'his men'. Norm looked at him with dull eyes, and promptly collapsed on the ground.

"Boys, I really wish I could stay and help you finish loading that piano, but I've got business to attend to in the station." Before Heyes could protest the station manager beat a hasty retreat.

"Well, Kyle. It's up to us."

"Sure thaing, Heyes," Kyle grinned, showing his stained teeth.

--oooOOOooo--

Some more wasted hours later, the piano was in an upright angled position, with one leg jammed through the front door. The rest of the piano remained stubbornly outside the house in spite of Heyes and Kyle's best efforts.

"Heyes, I don't reckon this is gonna work either," panted Kyle.

Heyes stood back, pushed up his hat, scratched his head, and studied the problem at hand.

"You're right Kyle," he said, finally admitting defeat, "I could have sworn we could fit it through by removing it from the crate and twisting it 'round."

"Sure did look like it were gonna fit," Kyle agreed.

"Kyle, we're just going to have to carry it to the back door. It's wider. Should work, I suppose." He paused, and looked at the scratches in the paint on the doorframe, and the chips in the wood. He didn't suppose Jennifer or Kid would mind, as it was all for a good cause. He took a deep breath and continued, "We're not going to let a piano beat us, are we?"

"No, siree, Heyes."

"You ready then?"

"Yep."

The two men heaved the piano up and staggered with it towards the rear door of the house. It took a lot of energy to move, as they were both pretty tuckered out from the attempts to get it in the front door, not to mention the battle to load it on the wagon and bring it to the house. It was now early afternoon, and a hot September sun was overhead. The men's faces were sweat streaked, and they grimaced and grunted with their burden.

Finally, they deposited the piano by the rear entry.

"Ya know Heyes, I ain't so sure this is any wider than the other door," whined Kyle.

Heyes nodded, more to himself than Kyle. Why had he thought this doorway was wider? Must have just assumed it was, because they had moved the stove in through the back. Heyes chided himself. They had moved the stove in through the back because it was closer to the kitchen, not because the opening was any wider. He could have kicked himself.

He reassessed the situation. "Kyle, I see it this way. We're experts at getting things out of a building, right?"

"Right!"

"So we should be able to get this piano in the house. It's just breaking and entering in reverse."

Kyle answered Heyes slowly, "weeelll…I guess so." He chewed on the plug of tobacco he kept stowed in his cheek. "It seems to make sense." He chewed some more. "But what I cain't figure is, how we're gonna do it."

Kyle chewed and spat while Heyes pondered.

"We'll widen the doorway!" exclaimed Heyes brightly.

"Good idée! And it won't matter nohow, 'cause you won't see what we done from the front of the house."

"That's right, Kyle. At any rate, the piano's the important thing. We can fix the doorway later."

--oooOOOooo--

"We got it in Heyes! And we didn't have to cut much out of that doorway, neither."

"Yep." Heyes stood and admired their work. A fairly neat job of it, he told himself. Sure, there was plaster on Jennifer's Chinese silk rug, but that would come off, and the torn corner wasn't noticeable at all. He'd buy her a new porcelain vase to replace the one Kyle had knocked off the side board while they moved the dining room table and chairs to make room for the 'monster'. He was almost positive that particular vase wasn't one of the family heirlooms her grandmother had left her. Overall, he was pleased.

"Heyes?"

"Um, what?"

"The piano ain't gonna stay in here, is it?"

"No, of course not. The piano can't stay in the dining ro…" his voice trailed off. He and Kyle simultaneously looked at the narrow doorway that lead to the parlor, or what would now be the parlor/music room. He swallowed and moaned slightly.

"Guess we're gonna hafta widen that doorway too, Heyes."

"You guessed right, Kyle."

"Heyes, when did you say Kid was returning with Jennifer?"

--oooOOOooo--

They picked up the sledgehammers and chisels, and battered manfully at the wall of the doorway. They both knew there wasn't much time remaining, and they no longer troubled themselves to make a neat job of it. They swung, and hefted, panted, and grunted, and pulled down plaster and wood. Their faces, hair and clothing were now covered in plaster dust, and streaky sweat trickled down their faces. Their backs and underarms were thoroughly damp. This actually made for interesting patterns of wet plaster on their shirts that the men were too busy to notice.

"That's enough," Heyes yelled.

"We done it!" Kyle shouted back, "now we kin move it on in." He started towards the piano to lift 'his' end.

Heyes stared into the parlor and groaned. "There's not enough room."

"Huh?"

"There's not enough room in the parlor. We'll have to move some of the furniture out."

"Whaddya wanna move out, Heyes?"

Heyes pulled out his pocket watch and swore aloud. "We'd better move out the couch and the love seat to play it safe. There isn't much time left and we need to maneuver that monster in. We'll rearrange things later."

They moved out the love seat, and pushed the dining room chairs out of the way hurriedly so they could 'drop' the love seat and still leave room for the sofa and a clear path for the piano. Some of the chairs were jostled into the table and scratched it, and some fell over like tin soldiers onto the floor. Heyes glanced back at the table as he and Kyle rushed back for the sofa. The scratches weren't that bad. Heck they could sand and re-stain the table easy.

They picked up the sofa. They carried it into the dining room.

"Heyes!"

"I hear it too Kyle." A carriage was heard approaching. "Hurry. Let's put the sofa over there," he grunted as he pointed with his shoulder to indicate direction. Kyle, who was walking backwards with his end of the sofa, walked back quickly and tripped over one of the fallen chairs. The sofa landed astride him.

"Ow!"

"Kyle, you hurt?"

"Nope, not really. Mostly surprised, I guess."

"C'mon then." Heyes put down his end of the sofa, ran to the side of it, and bent down. He grabbed Kyle's arm and dragged him out. He could hear Kid and Jennifer approaching the front door. He and Kyle, shoved and pushed the couch none too carefully against the rest of the furniture. This caused a curious domino effect with the sofa hitting the love seat and some of the chairs, the love seat hitting more chairs, chairs hitting the table, and chairs hitting the sideboard. The sideboard rattled as if an earthquake had hit it, and the remaining crockery, vases, and knick-knacks fell over. The clatter was impressively loud as china broke and rolled on fallen chairs and the floor.

The two men grabbed the piano and with a burst of energy, hefted it up and moved it into the parlor. They put it down in what Heyes and Kid had predetermined to be, a pleasant and artistic locale, for Jennifer to play.

Kyle and Heyes admired their work and breathed heavily.

They could hear the Kid and Jennifer's voices as they entered the house.

"Heyes," gasped Kyle, "it's covered in plaster." Kyle looked around wildly for something to wipe it with, and before Heyes, who was bent over gasping, could stop him, picked up a decorative lace doily and wiped the piano with it.

"I suppose that was bound to happen," groaned Heyes in resignation.

They heard gasps. Apparently Kid and Jennifer had seen some of the plaster lying about.

"Heyes, she ain't seen the piano yet. How come they sound all excited?"

Heyes looked at Kyle in disbelief. "Kyle, I think it's a small matter of our redecorating the house."

"Oh. Oh yeah." Kyle grinned. "Well, maybe we weren't none too neat about it, but she's got her a brand new grand piano!"

--oooOOOooo--

Jennifer and Kid were in the dining room. They had followed a trail of plaster that had blown towards the entry of the house. Jennifer was walking in a daze. She stumbled into one of the fallen chairs.

"The furniture. Jed, the china and vases."

Kid was struck dumb and unable to utter a word. He looked at the plaster, the pieces of wood, the broken crockery, and then he saw the rear doorway. His mouth opened noiselessly. What the heck had Heyes and Kyle been thinking of?

"Jed," repeated Jennifer, "What happened? Were we robbed? She turned to him, her eyes widened in fear. "Jed, Hannibal! Was he here? Suppose he was attacked, hurt, suppose he's…Jed we have to find him."

She turned around and for the first time noticed the doorway into the parlor. She gasped in horror and ran towards it.

Kid followed in quick strides, and caught up to her. "Heyes may not be hurt yet, but if I have my way…" he said under his breath.

Kid and Jennifer entered the parlor at the same time.

Kyle stood proudly covered with white powder. Heyes decided to make the best of it. He wiped as much plaster off his shirt as he could, and then turned to the couple, to bluff it out.

"Happy Birthday Jennifer." He waved his hand magnificently towards the grand piano. Jennifer and Kid gasped again at the sight of the piano squeezed into the room surrounded closely by chairs and parlor tables. He hurriedly continued so as to cut off and response from the stunned pair.

"As you can see, it's a real grand piano, a concert grand," he said with emphasis. "After all, Jennifer, Kid and I figure you have to have the best, right Kid?"

Kid hesitated. Heyes sidled up to him, and passed him the note from the manufacturers. Kid read it and rolled his eyes. Heyes whispered to him, "Did you want me to send it back, and on her birthday? What else could we do?"

Jennifer, now over the initial double shock of the scene of the demolition and of the sight of such a glorious gift, walked to the piano and touched it lovingly. She ran her fingers over the wood, and opened the keyboard, saying in an awed voice, "It's a Hallet and Davis."

She looked at the two men and then ran her fingers over the keys. As she heard the fine tone, a gasp of delight escaped from her throat. She tried a scale…perfect! Jennifer's eyes sparkled with pleasure.

Kid grinned. "I guess we can assume you like it, Sweetheart?"

"Like it? LIKE it?!" Still beaming with pleasure, Jennifer shook her head at him reproachfully. "I do Not like it, Jed Curry!" Jennifer looked at the love of her life, and then down at the new love of her life, before continuing, "I LOVE it! I ADORE it! Her hands again moved over the ivory keys. "Just…listen! It's perfect!" She looked from Kid to Heyes. "Were you both in on this?" Nods. Her eyes took in Kyle. With her sweetest smile, Jennifer added, "You too?" A vigorous nod. "The only reason you ALL aren't getting hugged is…" a teasing grin, a soaring trill from the keyboard, "…that would mean taking my hands off the new love of my life!"

"I'm glad you're pleased with it, Jennifer," said Heyes. He glanced around and decided to minimize the damage verbally. "It was a bit big, and well, there was some trouble getting it into the house. A few things might have got…kinda…disturbed."

Jennifer looked up, "Disturbed? "she queried, raising her eyebrows in mock-surprise. She glanced around at the wreck and devastation of her home. "Darling?" teasing glance at Kid, "Does anything look…disturbed…to you?"

She took two steps to the piano and stopped. "Hannibal, Jed, you did remember to order a piano bench, didn't you?"

The partners looked at each other and sighed.

Kyle came up with one of the chairs that still had four legs, "Will this work, Miz Jennifer?"

"Yes Kyle, thank you."

She placed her hands lovingly over the smooth surface. She tenderly caressed the ivory keys with hands superbly confident of their own skill. The expert fingers released a stream of music. The listening men, even Kyle, settled themselves on the broken furniture to listen, spellbound.

Yearning…joy…regret…soaring hope. How the magic was done…who knew? Nevertheless, Jennifer evoked each mood in turn, with her sensitive touch. When she finally stopped, she sighed contentedly. Turning thirty hadn't been too bad after all. In fact, Jen decided with a private grin, she might turn thirty…annually…for quite a few years to come!

--oooOOOooo--

Thank you to my dear beta for all your hard work and help.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


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